Explosive compound



this.

SERGEY DARK SMOLIANINOFF, or SAN rnAucIsco, cALiFonNiA, Assienon, nxnnsunessleluinms, TO The AMnRicAmTn. MANUFACTURING con- PANY, OF VIRGINIA.

sxP LosavE compound.

S?EGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,336, dated .Tuly 15, 1890. Application filed June 28, 1887. Serial No. 242,810. (No specimens.)

tion of my said invention and the manner in which I proceed to carry out, the same.

' My invention relates to that class of high explosives which are insensitized or rendered less sensitive to agitationor con; I

have discovered that by adding to nitro-glycerine a proportion of some one of the alcohols the resulting compound is insensitive to more agitation or concussion, and yet may be exploded Elt'Wlll by a fulpiinate. In forming this insensitive compound the others of the 2p alcohols are the equivalents of the alcohols, and in exploding it any detonating explosive is the equivalent of the fulminate. The degree of insensitiveness of the compound is in 'direct proportion to the quantity of alcohol 2 5 added, and its perfection is dependenton the a purity of the ingredients. The best form of my new explosive compound, as determined by experiment, results from adding one part, by volume, of methyl. alcohol or wood spirit o tothree parts, by'volume, of nitro-glycerine. The best form of the compound containing an ether of alcohol 'isobtained by adding one part, by volume, of acetic ether of glyce'rine to't-hree parts, by volifne, of nitro-glyce'rine.

1 have found by experiment that the union of the ingredients is facilitated by moderately heating the nitro-glycerine. I have alsofound that the most perfect compound results from what may be termed a saturated solu- 0 tion of nitro-glycerine and methyl alcohol, and that the point of saturation depends upon the temperature of the ingredients and their freedom from water or other adulteration, varying slightly from the proportions above stated as these conditions vary. When an exactly-saturated solution is obtained, the compound is stable, and there is no subsequent separation of the ingredients. With an excess ct alcohol there may be a subsequent alcohol, an absorbent, and a fulminate,'sub-- separation to the extent of such. excess; but with the proportions above stated such excess is comparatively slight and impairs neither the strength nor the safety of the compound. By the admixture of the usual absorbents-that is, of such dry substances as will take up the liquid by saturation or absorptiori-the compound is converted iutc a mass resembling dynamite.-

-Havin'g thus fully described my invention, what I'claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An explosive compound consisting of a mixture olnitro glyceriueand an'alc'oheL-suostantially as described.

' 2. An explosive compound consisting of a mixture of nitro-glycerine and methyl alcohol, substantially as described.

r 3. The process ofexploding a compound composed of nitro-glycerine, and an alcohol by the detonation of a fulminate in or upon the same, substantially as described. I

4. The process of exploding a compound composed of nitro-glycerine and methyl alcohol by the detonation of a fulminate in or upon the same, substantially as described. 75

5. The combination of nitro-glycerine,'an alcohol, and a fulminate, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. The combination of nitro-glycerine, me-

thyl alcohol, and a fulminate, substantiallyBo as and for the purposes described.

7. An explosive compound consisting of a mixture of nitro-glycerine, an alcohol, and an absorbent, substantially as described.

8. The process of exploding a compound composed of nitro-glycerine, an alcohol, and an absorbent by the detonation of a fulminate in or upon the same, substantially as described.

9. The combination of nitro-glycerine, an

stantially as and for the purposes described. In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

SERGEY DARK SMOLIANINOFE. [11.8.] Witnesses:

LEE D. CRAIG, ROGER JOHNSON. 

